Training Day
"Training Day" is the tenth chapter of The Last Son, Book One: Gatherings. Superman and the X-Men competes the Brotherhood on a two-day hiking trip, but later must cooperate in stopping Professor Xavier's vengeful half-brother Marko Cain, the Juggernaut. Plot Mystique infiltrate a S.H.I.E.L.D. detention facility housing Marko Cain, the Juggernaut. She frees Juggernaut and gives him a helmet to protect him from psychic attacks in return in helping her gain entry to Cerebro in exchange for seeking his revenge on his half-brother Charles Xavier. However, Juggernaut backhands Mystique and rejects her offer before proceeding to heading for the Xavier Institute. Mystique quickly recovers and, despite Juggernaut's defiance, sees this as a chance to getting Cerebro. Meanwhile, Clark and the X-Men are on a hiking trip as part of survival training without using their powers. The Brotherhood are also on the trip, thus building a race between them and the X-Men to reach the top of a mountain. S.H.I.E.L.D. are alerted to Juggernaut's escape. Brigadier General Nick Fury oversee the situation in recapturing the mutant. Military artillery are used on the mutant, but proves fruitless to Juggernaut's durability. Storm arrive on the scene in which Xavier is now already aware of his brother's escape, as she creates a dense fog in slowing Juggernaut down. Back at the mountain, the X-Men and the Brotherhood use several canoes to cross a lake. Both teams race across the lake. Pietro and Lance deter the X-Men's efforts with the latter using his earthquake power. Scott almost tries to blast them in retaliation, but is ease from doing so by Clark. Toad and Blob's canoe take on water and about to capsize; Clark helps them in freezing the water and providing them to walk to shore. After reaching the other side of the lake, both teams decide to camp for the night. While setting up camp, Jean appreciate Scott for not using his powers in which Scott admits it was Clark who urged him not to; Jean also admits that she had use her telepathy to read Scott's mind out of concern and is still proud to the fact that Scott had told Clark to save Toad and Blob. Clark later suddenly hears someone trapped himself on a cliff as he and the X-Men goes off to investigate. At the Brotherhood's camp, Pietro fumes about Clark's heroics. In contrast to his great disliking of Clark, the other members of the Brotherhood don't really bear any ill will towards the Man of Steel. Clark and the X-Men find a family, who are also on a hiking trip, at the edge of a cliff and that their father is trapped inside cave by a boulder. Clark volunteer himself to help them while discreetly using his powers. He uses a tree branch as a lever to move the boulder away. After saving the father, Clark and the X-Men head back to camp. Unfortunately on the way, Clark sneeze that creates a avalanche heading towards them. Luckily, they are save by Lance who creates a massive crack that sinks the avalanche's path. Lance heads back to his camp unnoticed while thinking why he had saved them. After arriving at the campsite, Lance is met by Kitty, who thanks him for what he did by giving him a kiss. Lance is left to wonder this is why Superman helps people. On the next day, Juggernaut have finally reach in the outskirts of the Xavier Institute. He is attacked by Wolverine. The X-Men minus Clark, who becomes Superman to prevent a train crash in England, and the Brotherhood have reach the peak and are at a tie. The Blackbird suddenly arrive and is piloted by Storm, who urge the X-Men to return back to the Institute. The Brotherhood also want to come in which Scott accepts. At the Institute, Juggernaut have already broken in and brought along a badly battered Wolverine. He confronts Xavier in the Danger Room and prepares to hit him but is stopped from doing so by Superman. Surprised but quite aware rumors of Superman, Juggernaut attacks Superman but is easily overpowered by the young Kryptonian. Although shock by someone who can actually match his strength, Juggernaut is impressed that someone could hurt him and proceed to pummel Superman while enduring the blows from the Man of Steel. Mystique appears and berate Juggernaut for destroying Cerebro during the fighting. Juggernaut ignores Mystique and resuming battling Superman, but then realizes that Superman is holding back his powers from hurting anyone around them. He goads Superman for this and unleashes his full strength on him; however, Superman was actually waiting for the X-Men and the Brotherhood, who they proceed to removing Juggernaut's helmet. After the helmet's latches are removed, Superman finish in blowing it off and allowing the Professor to psychically shut off Juggernaut's brain. The X-Men and the Brotherhood are impressed by their teamwork in defeating Juggernaut, but the moment is cut short as Mystique calls the Brotherhood to leaving the Institute. S.H.I.E.L.D. operatives led by Nick Fury shortly arrive on the scene and apprehend Juggernaut. Fury finally meets Superman for the first time and is albeit warily that he can fight on equal terms with Juggernaut. Fury is aware of Superman's actions and understood he really means to help those in need, but cautiously wonder about his capability. Regardless, Fury appreciate Superman for what he is doing along with the X-Men and decide to remove any mention of him or the X-Men in his reports. Fury departs as the X-Men and Superman began to assess the damages to the Institute. Meanwhile, Magneto is reported by Mystique and Quicksilver of Superman's fight with Juggernaut and the strength that Superman was holding back. Magneto is gravely concerned of Superman's capabilities, and even considered using his daughter as a deterrent. But he sees Superman as the "Child of the Star", the supposed prophesied leader of mutants foretold by Irene Adler. Quicksilver, however, bitterly refuse to accept Superman as their chosen leader while pointing out he isn't a mutant, and believed himself to be the one that he supposed to be raise in his father's footsteps. Mageneto placate his son that Superman is destined to lead mutantkind, but not in his words; even though he is an alien, he is more evolved beyond mutants and believed that mutants will be just like him in the future. Magneto then observes over a lead container carrying a weapon that would be used against Superman: a green crystalline space-rock that was founded in one of the crashed meteors in Smallville that had brought Superman to Earth. Quotes (as the X-Men are lowering Clark on a rope) Evans: Jeez, CK, how many bricks do you have in your pockets? ---- Juggernaut: In case you didn't hear me, junior, you can't stop me! Nothing stops me! I'm UNSTOPPABLE! (Juggernaut charges Superman but is punched hard in the chest) Superman: Consider yourself stopped. ---- Juggernaut: I'm gonna squash you like a bug! Superman: Funny thing about bugs, Marko, they fly! ---- Juggernaut: I hear that you like to save people! You're so busy caring about people, that you don't want to risk cutting loose! Well, that ain't my problem, runt! I don't CARE! ---- Nick Fury: I'm sure you do want to help. However, the feeling I get from looking at you is the same feeling I get from looking at a nuke; even though you know it'll – hopefully – be used for a good purpose, the thought of what it could do is damn frightening. Continuity *First appearances of Juggernaut and Nick Fury. *Nick Fury's awareness of Superman's heroic activities was previously mentioned by the Avengers in "Friends". Background information *This story is an adaption of the X-Men: Evolution episode "Survival of the Fittest". Category:Last Son, Book One chapters